Kindergarten Balanced Literacy Guide A Resource for Kindergarten Teachers

Created FOR Teachers by Teachers

Compiled by Amanda Slade Instructional Services – Early Years District Teacher

aslade@sd35.bc.ca January 2018

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Full Day Kindergarten Page 4 Balanced Literacy Components Page 5 Oral Language Page 8 Phases of Literacy Acquisition Page 9 Balanced Literacy Environments Page 10 Balance Literacy Teaching Page 11 Every Child, Every Day – (Richard Allington) Page 12 Child Development Page 13 Kindergarten Literacy Throughout the Year Page 14 Kindergarten Learning Project – Oral Language Page 18 Kindergarten Learning Project – Reading and Viewing Page 19 Kindergarten Learning Project – Writing and Representing Page 20 Gradual Release of Support Page 21 Writing Development Page 22 Literacy Learning Through Play Page 24 First People’s Principles of Learning Page 27 Assessment for Learning Practices Page 28 Elements Contributing To A Strong Literacy Foundation Page 29 Kindergarten Screening Protocol Page 30 Reading Assessment Guidelines for Kindergarten Page 31 Recommended Resources Page 32

Table of Contents

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“Full day Kindergarten can provide a range of benefits over and above those from half

day programs largely because it allows more time for play based exploration and

inquiry. These types of hands-on experiences are responsible for most of the cognitive

growth that occurs in Kindergarten children.”

(Full Day K Program Guide, BC)

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Balanced Literacy Components

Whole Group + Small Group + Individual = Balanced Instruction

• Modeled Writing

• Independent Writing

• Shared Writing

• Independent Reading

• Read Aloud

• Shared Reading

• Word Study

• Guided Literacy

Comprehend and Connect (Reading, Listening, Viewing)

Create and Communicate (Writing, Speaking, Representing)

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• Independent Reading –students independently read a book, poem, message or other source of print.

Reading pictures, retelling remembered stories or working out words are all ways to read a book. This helps students construct meaning on their own. It reinforces developing literacy skills and encourages students to develop a joy of reading.

• Read Aloud –students listen to a story read by the teacher. Teacher shares thinking about the book through wonderings and observations. The joy and purpose of reading is conveyed. This helps students understand that reading is an interactive process that engages the brain to understand.

• Shared Reading –student and teacher read together through use of pocket charts, big books, experience charts, morning messages or by repeating repetitive phrases in picture books. All children have eyes on text and voice. This helps students learn direction of print, decoding strategies and fluency but through class discussion students can also focus on comprehension and expanding vocabulary.

• Word Study – students and teacher closely notice and play with words through things like poems, songs,

messages, environmental print, themes and inquiry work. This helps students develop letter sound awareness and understanding of onset-rime, rhyme, segmenting and blending.

• Guided Literacy– teacher guides students to meet literacy learning needs through carefully planned

targeted lessons. Lessons can be individually or in a small group. This helps students by targeting specific literacy skills they need.

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• Modeled Writing- students watch and teacher writes while thinking aloud about sounding out words,

finding words, making mistakes, drawing pictures or getting ideas. This helps students understand the complex process of writing. It helps them see the essential elements to build a strong literacy foundation being used.

• Independent Writing – students express their thinking and ideas by writing them in multiple contexts. This

could be through activities such as writing books, journals, inquiry, notes, class books or on white boards. This helps students to practice their independence in communicating ideas through drawing and printing.

• Shared Writing – the teacher and student compose text together. This can be done by sharing the pen,

ideas and drawing. Writing is planned and created together. This helps students build writing independence and understanding of language structure with support.

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Classroom oral language gives students opportunities to listen to understand and communicate to be understood throughout the day. This helps the students formulate and interpret ideas. It helps them make sense of their world, use imagination and interact with others. It expands their vocabulary and use of language structures. Giving children ample talk time is essential and can be fostered during more formal times, such as Circle Time and informal times, such as Centre Time.

“Reading and Writing float on a sea of talk.” James Britton

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Emergent During this stage, students are not yet reading published texts, they can often read their own name and maybe one or two other sight words. Students in this stage have limited oral language knowledge and limited knowledge of how print works. This is often referred to as the role-play stage of development. Early Emergent These students are beginning to apply their knowledge about how print works. They are beginning to apply some early conventions and concepts about print as they read simple texts. They have a small bank of letter knowledge and high-frequency sight words. They can read some known texts relying heavily on memory and picture cues. Their ability to read fluently is limited as they rely heavily on one-to-one matching and finger pointing. Emergent During this stage, students can reconstruct familiar texts and can respond to and discuss texts. They are more consistent in matching the written word to the spoken word. Their letter/sound knowledge is developed to the point at which they are beginning to problem-solve on unknown words and to experiment when reading simple texts. Emergent students have a growing bank of high frequency sight words. Beginning Beginning readers understand that a text represents a consistent way of telling a story or relating information. They have begun to use a variety of strategies to decode and comprehend texts and are able to adapt their reading to suit different text types. Their letter/sound knowledge is now consolidated. Reading fluency is a major focus in this stage. Transitional During this stage, students are beginning to integrate all information sources to make meaning from text. They have the ability to make connections between what they already know and what is new. They can relate to the text and make meaningful predictions and self-correct independently. They read in a phrased and fluent manner using intonation and language structures to support the construction of the message. Established Established readers have an understanding of the characters, events, situations, and relationships in narrative texts. They make personal connections with the characters, evaluate situations, and make judgments based on their experiences. Students in this stage read a variety of nonfiction material for research purposes and for pleasure. Established readers can and need to read for longer stretches of time; they can read silently and adjust their style of reading to reflect the text and the purpose. They can decode unknown words rapidly and fluently.

Fullan, Hill, Crevola, 2006

Phases of Literacy Acquisition

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Balanced Literacy Environments Include:

• A literacy rich environment with many opportunities to read, write and exchange ideas orally

• A classroom library that is welcoming and an area of importance • Different areas of the classroom to engage students in whole group, small group and

independent literacy activities • Accessible collections of words through word walls, banks or folders, and hands on

materials to explore letters, letter sounds and words • Children’s names easily accessible to read and write • An alphabet frieze • Labels on items or materials around the room • Co-created anchor charts, reference to important vocabulary related to themes,

inquiry or experiences • Displays of student work • Access to electronic tools that support learning and engagement • A variety of writing tools including pencils, pens, felts, pencil crayons, white board

markers, note pads, papers, white boards

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Balanced Literacy Teaching Includes:

• Strong classroom management and routines • Sharing an enthusiasm for books and literacy learning • Opportunities for children to talk, write and read frequently in playful

situations • An integrated cross curricular approach to learning • A clear understanding of students’ current level of development and

a plan for moving them forward from that point • Student choice in reading and writing • Frequent opportunities to talk about reading and writing • A gradual release of responsibility when learning new concepts: I do,

We do together, You do and I watch, You do and practice • Ongoing, specific, targeted feedback during whole group, small

group and independent literacy instruction

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Reads something chosen by him/herself Reads accurately. Reads something he or she understands. Writes something personally meaningful. Talks with peers about and writing. Listens to a fluent adult reader read aloud.

~Richard Allington

Every Child – Every Day

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Developmentally, 4 and 5 year olds typically can stay focused for 5-10 minutes. It is important that literacy activities are structured with movement, playfulness and variety to sustain focus.

• A number of smaller focused lessons are more

effective than longer ones • Movement helps children stay focused • Integrate lessons • Talk time is important. Have your students express

themselves to a partner or whole group throughout. • Make lessons student centred and geared to

interests and abilities

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Kindergarten Literacy Throughout the Year

Literacy does not start when a child comes to Kindergarten; literacy has been building in a child’s

experiences since birth. Kindergarten is the first opportunity to have common literacy experiences

by presenting many opportunities for literacy learning in play-based, holistic and developmentally

appropriate ways.

It is important to remember there can be almost one whole year’s difference in age of the

students. Building literacy skills in a Kindergarten classroom looks as different as the children within

it. Some students will be readers already while others will have difficulty knowing the letters in his or

her name.

As no year or student is ever the same, this is a general sample of what a year of literacy may look

like. Scaffolding and revisiting these strategies is important. Teachers are encouraged to

understand their own students’ literacy needs and plan accordingly.

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Term One

• Get to know your students and families. Developing trust and relationships is the key foundation to all other learning. Use your gradual entry time to get to know your students and families and establish routines.

• Create reading spaces throughout your classroom that are organized and welcoming. Feature books to spark an interest in reading. Have a variety of books that are visually interesting. Make sure there is a range of text available to students: wordless picture books, single words and phrases to greater text on the page.

• Set up literacy routines such as story time, daily reading (“Book Look”, “Relax and Read”), use of writing tools (papers, pencils, pens, felts, glue, scissors, white boards and markers),

• Encourage drawing a picture to communicate ideas. Whenever possible, have the child recognize and print his or her name. Consider where the child is at and move them toward the end goal of printing his or her name with appropriate upper and lowercase letters.

• As most children will be learning letter sounds, show that a squiggle can represent a sound they hear but have not learned yet

• Explore the alphabet throughout the day by providing opportunities for exploration during Circle, Centres, Story and Theme based work.

• Draw attention to environmental print • Build literacy around student names highlighting starting letters, numbers of letters and similarities and differences

in appearance • Use a variety of sensory materials to explore letters and letter sound relationships (writing with materials like sand,

shaving cream, finger paint) • Explicitly teach conventions of letter formation and pencil grip. Work on building fine motor skills through play

using materials like playdough, eye droppers, clothes pegs • Write short messages to the class or explore poems and songs, showing tracking direction of print and modeling

decoding strategies

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• Explore more letter and letter sounds as a group. For example, share the pen when writing about different experiences. Stretch out words to isolate sounds.

• Emphasize rhyme using short four line poems • Use a pocket chart to arrange and rearrange words in a sentence or poem • As much as possible, provide open ended activities so every student can find a just right

starting point • Administer the KSP. Ask your administrator if to help find a way to support you in doing this

important work. Many aspects of the KSP will already have data collected from observations made in the first term. Start with the children you are most concerned about. For some children, the assessment can be long so administer the assessment in parts over different times.

• Explore creating and telling stories orally. Students can practice stories constructing ideas through materials in Story Workshop. Oral language can tell you so much beyond written as to what students know about story. Documenting these stories give a snapshot of the child’s understanding of character, plot, setting, use of language and beginning, middle and end.

• Encourage more details in drawings. Sound out one or more words to label drawings. • Find opportunities to point out word spaces to the students • Introduce some sentence starters like “I like”, “I can” or “I am” • Encourage students to express thoughts orally in full sentences. Take turns listening to others

say one important thing about a common experience. • Provide opportunities for students to use literacy within Centres. Books, pencils, pens, markers,

letters and various papers all encourage students to create important representations of ideas in playful situations.

Term Two

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• Ensure daily targeted instruction to those with identified needs from the KSP • Encourage students to record questions and make lists • Make sure literacy activities are open ended and allow for a range of abilities • Build writing strategies paying closer attention to word walls, word banks and letter sounds • Continue to build on drawing to include a setting and details • Work on building the concept of a sentence by hopping out words in a line as they are said.

This emphasize separation in words and that they are strung together to express an idea. • Have students add relevant words to the word wall. Continue to highlight new sight words as

part of cross curricular learning. For example, go on a nature walk to look for signs of spring and use the words “I see” as part of recording observations

• Explore many poems and nursery rhymes • At the end of term, using the KSP, check the areas of vulnerability for those who had

identified areas to build understanding in • Share gathered information on students with School Based Team, Administration, Reading

Recovery Teachers and Grade One Teachers.

Term Three

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Student Name: _________________________________________

Kindergarten Emergent Literacy Continuum: Oral Language Developmental aspects Emerging

With direct support… Developing With guided support…

Applying With minimal support…

Extending

The Child With direct support may listen to and use language for play and collaborative learning. May not have enough language for conversation to be meaningful.

With guided support listens to and is beginning to use language for play and collaborative learning. Is beginning to participate in conversations.

With minimal support uses conventional language for play and collaborative learning. Is able to contribute to conversations.

Adjusts language use for play and collaborative learning. Uses language for a range of purposes and actively contributes to conversations.

Speaking and Listening Attending With direct support may attend to informal oral language

interactions. With guided support attends to and participates in informal language interactions.

With minimal support attends to and participates in informal language interactions.

Attends to and participates in informal language interactions.

Listening With direct support may listen during activities (e.g., ignoring distractions).

With guided support listens during activities (e.g., ignoring distractions).

With minimal support listens during activities (e.g., ignoring distractions).

Listens during activities (e.g., ignoring distractions).

Speaking With direct support may speak with adults or peers. May be difficult to understand (e.g., tone of voice, volume, articulation, rate, gesture).

With guided support speaks with adults and peers (e.g., tone of voice, volume, articulation, rate, gesture).

With minimal support speaks clearly and fluently with adults and peers (e.g., tone of voice, volume, articulation, rate, gesture).

Speaks clearly and fluently using appropriate voice and body language (e.g., tone of voice, volume, articulation, rate, gesture).

Taking turns in conversation With direct support may take turns in a conversation. With guided support takes turns in a conversation. With minimal support takes turns in a conversation. Takes turns as a thoughtful listener and speaker in a conversation.

Staying on topic With direct support may sometimes stay on topic in a short conversation.

With guided support stays on topic in a short conversation; responds to ideas.

With minimal support stays on topic in a conversation; responds to and extends ideas.

Stays on topic in conversations; responds to and extends ideas.

Knowledge of the Content and Structure of Language Understanding and participating in language activities

With direct support may understand classroom language activities (e.g., shared reading, role plays, imaginative play, etc.).

With guided support understands and participates in classroom language activities (e.g., shared reading, role plays, imaginative play, etc.).

With minimal support understands and participates in classroom language activities (e.g., shared reading, role plays, imaginative play, etc.).

Understands and actively participates in classroom language activities (e.g., shared reading, role plays, imaginative play, etc.).

Understanding vocabulary With direct support may understand a limited vocabulary. With guided support understands a basic vocabulary. With minimal support understands a wide vocabulary. Understands an extensive vocabulary. Speaking in sentences With direct support may use single words or short phrases

modeled by others. With guided support uses words or phrases modeled by others.

With minimal support expresses thoughts and ideas in short sentences.

Expresses thoughts and ideas in some detail using a variety of sentences.

Understanding and following directions

With direct support may follow directions. With guided support follows directions. With minimal support follows directions. Follows directions.

Understanding, asking and responding to questions

With direct support may understand the difference between a question and a comment or response.

With guided support understands questions; asks simple questions and may respond on topic.

With minimal support asks and answers questions on topic. Asks thoughtful questions; responds on topic and extends ideas.

Sharing personal experiences With direct support may share personal experiences and feelings.

With guided support shares personal experiences and feelings.

With minimal support shares personal experiences and feelings with some clarity.

Shares personal experiences and feelings with clarity; is beginning to adjust language for audience.

Retelling/recounting With direct support may retell something about a story; may recount part of an experience or give one or two simple facts.

With guided support retells a simple story, recounts an experience or gives new information; some sequence errors and omissions.

With minimal support retells a story, recounts an experience or gives new information; may use simple connectors (e.g., and, then).

Retells a story, recounts experiences or gives information; uses more complex connectors (e.g., if, because, when, before, etc.).

Problem solving With direct support may use language to problem solve. With guided support uses language to problem solve. With minimal support uses language to problem solve. Without support uses appropriate language to problem solve.

Knowledge of the Sounds of Language Demonstrating phonological awareness

With direct support may demonstrate emergent skills in a few phonological awareness areas (e.g., awareness of words, syllables, sounds, rhyme).

With guided support demonstrates emergent skills in a few phonological awareness areas (e.g., awareness of words, syllables, sounds, rhyme).

With minimal support demonstrates emergent skills in some phonological awareness areas (e.g., awareness of words, syllables, sounds, rhyme).

Demonstrates emergent skills in most phonological awareness areas (e.g., awareness of words, syllables, sounds, rhyme).

The Support/Scaffolding*

The Model: showing, instructing, explaining, directing, making explicit, demonstrating, giving examples

The Coach: structuring, sequencing, focusing, cueing, guiding, organizing, supporting

The Advisor: suggesting, reminding, prompting, monitoring, asking for elaboration

The Mentor: extending, stretching, wondering aloud, exploring, “what if-ing”

*a variety of supports (teachers, peers, environmental, etc.) can be provided at any stage of development

Student Name: _________________________________________

Date code: Comments: Final 03/09

Adapted from SD 69 Kindergarten Assessment Committee 2004

Please note: This continuum is not meant to be used as a performance standard.

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Student Name: _________________________________________

Kindergarten Emergent Literacy Continuum: Reading and Viewing Developmental Aspects Emerging

With direct support… Developing With guided support…

Applying With minimal support…

Extending

The Child With direct support may draw on personal connections to make meaning while participating in a variety of reading/viewing experiences.

With guided support draws on and begins to develop strategies to make meaning (e.g., making connections, predicting, asking questions, and reflecting) while participating in a variety of reading/viewing experiences.

With minimal support draws on, and expands strategies to make meaning (e.g., making connections, predicting, asking questions, and reflecting) while participating in a variety of reading/viewing experiences.

Draws on, expands and begins to identify strategies to make meaning (e.g., making connections, predicting, asking questions, and reflecting) while participating in a variety of reading/viewing experiences.

Thinking/Metacognition Developing dispositions— awareness, attention, interest, participation, curiosity, engagement, perseverance

With direct support may attend to and may participate in reading/viewing activities (e.g., makes meaning from text using pictures, patterns, memory, prior knowledge).

With guided support engages in reading/viewing activities (e.g., makes meaning from text using pictures, patterns, memory, prior knowledge).

With minimal support purposefully engages in reading/viewing activities (e.g., makes meaning from text using pictures, patterns, memory, prior knowledge).

Purposefully engages in reading/viewing activities (e.g., makes meaning from text using emergent reading strategies).

Setting purposes With direct support may participate in setting a purpose for reading/viewing.

With guided support sets a purpose for reading/viewing. With minimal support chooses a purpose for reading/viewing. Identifies a purpose for reading/viewing; participates in the reading/viewing process.

Processing With direct support may express some thoughts and understanding before/during and after reading/viewing; may be unrelated to topic.

With guided support expresses some thoughts and understanding before/during and after reading/viewing.

With minimal support expresses thoughts and understanding before/during and after reading/viewing.

Expresses thoughts and understanding before/during and after reading/viewing.

Reflecting With direct support may participate in the reading/ viewing process; may say something about reading/viewing experience.

With guided support participates in the reading/ viewing process, says something about reading/ viewing experience.

With minimal support participates in the reading/viewing process; reflects on learning—may include purpose, process, experience.

Participates in the reading/viewing process and reflects on learning—may include purpose, process, experience.

Comprehension/Response Using strategies—use prior knowledge, predict and confirm meaning, ask questions, locate details, create mental images, make inferences

With direct support may use some of the text features (e.g., pictures, patterns, clues from the text) to contribute to discussions before, during, and after reading/viewing; contributions may be unrelated.

With guided support uses some of the text features (e.g., pictures, patterns, clues from the text) to contribute to discussions before, during, and after reading/viewing; contributions are related.

With minimal support uses the text features (e.g., pictures, patterns, clues from the text) to contribute to discussions before, during, and after reading/viewing; contributions are more detailed.

Uses the text features (e.g., pictures, patterns, clues from the text) to contribute to discussions before, during, and after reading/viewing; contributions may include evidence and/or some justification.

Making connections

With direct support may attempt to make a connection to reading/viewing material; connection may seem unrelated to reading/viewing material.

With guided support makes some connection to reading/viewing material.

With minimal support makes connections to reading/viewing material.

Makes connections to simple and complex reading/viewing material.

Retelling With direct support may retell; retelling may be unrelated to reading/viewing material.

With guided support retelling is related to reading/viewing material.

With minimal support retelling includes some elements of the reading/viewing material (e.g., character, main idea, interesting facts).

Retelling includes elements of the reading/viewing material (e.g., character, main idea, interesting facts); may include the „gist‟ of the reading/viewing material.

Features Demonstrating concepts of print With direct support may demonstrate concepts of print

(e.g., front/back of book, directionality). With guided support demonstrates some concepts of print (e.g., front/back of book, directionality, points to words on the page).

With minimal support demonstrates many concepts of print (e.g., front/back of book, directionality, points to words on the page).

Demonstrates many concepts of print (e.g., front/back of book, directionality, points to words on the page, tracks with finger using one to one matching).

Recognizing letter-sound relationships

With direct support may be able to name and recognize a few upper or lower case letter-sound relationships.

With guided support is able to name and recognize some upper and/or lower case letter-sound relationships.

With minimal support names and recognizes many upper and lower case letter-sound relationships.

Names and recognizes most upper and lower case letter-sound relationships.

Recognizing words With direct support may be able to identify a word in the environment (e.g., points to a printed word rather than a picture).

With guided support recognizes a few words (e.g., own name, environmental print, class names, familiar words).

With minimal support recognizes words (e.g., own name, environmental print, class names, familiar words).

Recognizes many words; may begin to use decoding strategies for unfamiliar words (e.g., sight words, environmental print, class names).

The Support/Scaffolding*

The Model: showing, instructing, explaining, directing, making explicit, demonstrating, giving examples

The Coach: structuring, sequencing, focusing, cueing, guiding, organizing, supporting

The Advisor: suggesting, reminding, prompting, monitoring, asking for elaboration

The Mentor: extending, stretching, wondering aloud, exploring, “what if-ing”

*a variety of supports (teachers, peers, environmental, etc.) can be provided at any stage of development

Date code: Comments:

Adapted from SD 69 Kindergarten Assessment Committee 2004 Please note: This continuum is not meant to be used as a performance standard

Final 03/09

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Student Name: _________________________________________

Kindergarten Emergent Literacy Continuum: Writing and Representing

Developmental aspects Emerging With direct support…

Developing With guided support…

Applying With minimal support…

Extending

The Child With direct support, may participate in writing/

representing experiences to communicate a message.

May understand writing/representing as thoughts written

down.

With guided support, participates in writing/

representing experiences by using approximations of

emergent symbol systems (a combination of

picture, oral description and symbols). Meaning is conveyed

more in picture and oral description than in print.

With minimal support, participates in writing/

representing experiences using an emergent symbol system

(a combination of picture, oral description and

conventional letters) to communicate ideas. Meaning

is beginning to be conveyed in the writing.

Participates in writing/representing experiences using a

mixture of emergent and conventional symbol systems.

Meaning is conveyed in both the writing and the

accompanying representations and oral description.

Thinking/Metacognition Developing dispositions—

awareness, attention, interest,

participation, curiosity,

engagement,

perseverance

With direct support may attend to and may participate in

writing/representing activities.

With guided support engages in writing/representing

activities.

With minimal support purposefully engages in

writing/representing activities.

Purposefully engages in writing/representing activities.

Processing With direct support may voice some thoughts before/

during and after writing/representing; may be unrelated to

topic. With direct support may participate in the

writing/representing process.

With guided support voices some thoughts before/

during and after writing/representing. With guided support

participates in the writing/representing process.

With minimal support voices thoughts before/during and after

writing/representing. With minimal support participates in the

writing/ representing process.

Voices thoughts before/during and after

writing/representing. Participates in the

writing/representing process.

Reflecting With direct support may say something about

writing/representing process. With guided support says something about

writing/representing process. With minimal support reflects on writing/representing process

and learning. Reflects on writing/representing process and learning.

Purpose Understanding purposes With direct support may share personal experiences,

feelings, ideas, or information in an oral or

representational form.

With guided support shares personal experiences, feelings,

ideas, or information in an oral/written/

representational form. Beginning to recognize that

writing/representing is talk written down.

With minimal support shares personal experiences, feelings,

ideas, or information in a written/representational form.

Recognizes that writing/representing is talk written down

(e.g., mental image matches writing/representing).

Uses writing/representing to share personal experiences,

feelings, ideas, or information.

Understanding and using a

variety of forms

With direct support may approximate a model to

communicate in an oral/representational form (e.g., labels,

signs, lists, journals, stories, letters).

With guided support approximates a model to communicate

in an oral/representational form (e.g., labels, signs, lists,

journals, stories, letters). Beginning to choose a

written/representational form for expression of ideas.

With minimal support follows a model to communicate in an

oral/representational form (e.g., labels, signs, lists, journals,

stories, letters). Beginning to choose a

written/representational form that aligns with purpose.

May follow a model or independently select a

written/representational form to communicate (e.g., labels,

signs, lists, journals, stories, letters).

Meaning

Expressing meaning through

drawing

With direct support may draw random scribbles without

recognizable forms in a picture.

With guided support attempts to draw a picture that is

related to topic and contains some recognizable forms.

With minimal support draws a recognizable picture with some

detail that is related to topic.

Draws a detailed picture that is related to topic.

Expressing meaning through print With direct support may express meaning using

representational print forms.

With guided support expresses meaning using

representational print forms.

With minimal support expresses meaning using

representational print forms.

Expresses meaning using representational print forms.

Explaining writing/representing With direct support may provide some simple oral detail

about writing/representing.

With guided support provides some oral detail about

writing/representing.

With minimal support shares ideas or gives information about

writing/representing.

Shares ideas or gives more complex information about

writing/representing. Features Using concepts of print With direct support may use some concepts of print to

represent meaning.

With guided support uses some concepts of print to

represent meaning.

With minimal support uses more complex concepts of print to

represent meaning.

Uses complex concepts of print to represent meaning.

The Support/Scaffolding*

The Model: showing, instructing, explaining, directing,

making explicit, demonstrating, giving examples

The Coach: structuring, sequencing, focusing, cueing,

guiding, organizing, supporting

The Advisor: suggesting, reminding, prompting, monitoring,

asking for elaboration

The Mentor: extending, stretching, wondering aloud,

exploring, “what if-ing” *a variety of supports (teachers, peers, environmental, etc.) can be provided at any stage of development

Date code: Comments:

Adapted from SD 69 Kindergarten Assessment Committee 2004

Please note: This continuum is not meant to be used as a performance standard

Final 03/09

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Kindergarten children represent their ideas in many different ways. When writing, typically at first pictures express most meaning but gradually children start to represent more through sound letter knowledge and recognized words. Beginning writers may not consistently recognize directionality of sentences or letters. Spaces between words take time to develop and often children will string prominent letter sounds together to represent a sentence. It is quite typical for students to start to label important information they would like to communicate using one or two letters. Generally speaking, consonants are written before vowels and typically children recognize the first sound they hear in a word before others (s – for sun). Writing continues to develop to include the end sound of a word (sn-for sun) and as children become more comfortable with letter sounds and the conventions of print they will include more middle sounds in words including vowels (sun). Children will move toward putting spaces between words and using some known spellings.

Writing Development

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The BC curriculum emphasizes curricular competencies as well as content to arrive at big ideas. This lends itself beautifully to inquiry, exploration and play. As we learn more about how children learn, it is abundantly clear that it is essential that we do not sacrifice play and inquiry in the name of literacy learning. We also know that children who show a solid understanding of the key elements of literacy show a greater likelihood to become confident proficient readers. Striking the balance between ensuring children are gaining these skills while still honoring their language of play is essential.

It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them” ~Leo Buscaglia

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Play Teacher Constructed:

• Carefully plan invitations to play. Think about the materials you provide and how children may use them to build literacy skills. Have alphabet letters and words for students to match, sort and use. Link books wherever possible.

• The environment is considered the third teacher. Create thoughtful, playful environments for children to explore, create and shape their learning experiences throughout the day. Set up a literacy rich environment so students can find and use materials on their own. Provide a variety tools: different pencils, pens, crayons, markers, special papers, notepads, chart paper, clip boards, white boards, keyboards, magnetic and wooden letters, sensory materials like sand and finger paint. Model and encourage use.

• Rotate materials so students have new ways to represent learning. • Understand what students already know. Children already come to

us with experience and knowledge. Taking them from where they are to new understandings is key.

• Engage students with novelty while building on their acquired skills. Small group work is essential as students will be at different stages of literacy acquisition. Some students may be working on building letter knowledge through games like “Go Fish” while others may be manipulating words through a different game.

• Explicitly teach literacy skills through games, poems, chants, and rhymes. • Explore books together and have them in many different areas of the classroom. Introduce rich text that

is to the students’ interest. Play with the language in the book. • Descriptive feedback helps students know exactly what is working and what they still need to work

towards. This can even happen when exploring concepts playfully.

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Play Student Constructed:

•Observe the student – take notes/document learning. This will help you understand skills they are practicing, their deeper understandings and areas for further growth. Centre time or exploration time is the perfect time to collect anecdotal observations. •Allow students to use open ended materials – ones that can be used in a variety of ways and with no predicable end product. •Make sure literacy tools are available in all student play. •Trust them. Students will surprise you in the direction they take with their learning. Play Co-constructed: •Listen to the student. Hear and see what they are doing with their learning. This will help you know where to guide learning next. •Know the curriculum well. Recognize the learning that is taking place and design a provocation or exchange that will extend what the student presents. •Help students create signs, write messages or letters around the students’ play. •Encourage students to record their thinking and questions. Have a wonder wall to display student questions and discoveries. • Be responsive to the needs of the student. Look up information together online and in books to investigate wonders. •Encourage language growth by introducing and exploring new vocabulary and providing plenty of opportunities for the students to use language.

The teacher’s role in promoting playful learning is to “develop the children’s literacy learning in the context of play, provide opportunities for quality interactions and cultivate spontaneous and flexible

literacy behaviors in young children” (Saracho, 2004).

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• Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors -Social Studies Big Ideas and Personal and Social Core Competencies understanding self, family and responsibility can be explored through picture books and whole class and individual writing.

• Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place) -Explore literacy across the curriculum embedding it throughout the day. Take literacy learning outside revisiting and reflecting within place.

• Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. -Create, record and post classroom routines together. Help another class or member of the community. Record an action plan, write invitations or thank you notes.

• Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities -Set up opportunities with “Big Buddies” or “read with an adult” to help your class with literacy skills. Invite members of the community to come in to read to your class.

• Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge -Use books recognized as authentically aboriginal. Discuss story meanings and teachings.

• Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story -Reflect on experiences together, record reflections and recall events.

• Learning involves patience and time -Have discussions with the class highlighting the hard literacy work they are doing. Remind them of the progress they have made whenever possible.

• Learning requires exploration of one’s identity. -Use the Core Competencies to launch writing. Complete “I am” prompts in writing books or use Big Buddies to write more ideas as children express themselves orally.

• Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations. -When sharing aboriginal stories with your class, highlight that stories are shared with permission.

First People’s Principles of Learning And Literacy Learning In Kindergarten

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The primary purpose of assessment is to improve teaching and student learning. This is embedded into lessons every day.

• State learning intentions – students understand what they are expected to learn • Develop criteria for success – co-construct criteria for quality and success • Use effective questioning – use questioning that promotes deep thinking and learning • Descriptive feedback – proved specific detailed feedback • Provide opportunities for self and peer assessment – students are reflective and involved in

the assessment process • Student ownership – have students share with others and communicate learning

Black and Wiliam (1998)

Assessment For Learning Practices

Assessment For Learning Any assessment for which the first priority is designed and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting a pupil’s learning.

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•Phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge - recognizing letters and associating individual units of sound with those letters •Segmenting - separating individual sounds or syllables within words •Blending - putting together individual sounds or syllables within words •Onset-Rime - the initial phonological unit in words is the onset (e.g. m in mat) and the term "rime" refers to the string of letters that follow (e.g. m-at). •Rhyme - the correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words •Concepts of Print - book direction, print direction, identifying the cover of book and an understanding that print and pictures tell give meaning

Elements Contributing To A St r o n g L i t e r a c y F o u n d a t i o n

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The Kindergarten Screening Protocol (KSP) is used to understand what our students know on the journey to becoming successful readers. It includes: Phonological Awareness, Segmenting, Blending, Onset-Rime, Letter/Sound Correspondence, Concepts of Print and Oral Vocabulary Skills. Not all children enter Kindergarten with the same literacy experience. This assessment is purposefully done in January to identify students who have not picked up skills despite being in a rich literacy environment and being taught explicitly for several months. From February to June teachers have time to take the information and plan small group interventions for students who are need addition time and focused support on these essential skills.

Kindergarten Screening Protocol

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Reading Assessment Guidelines for Kindergarten

September to December

January

a. Through observations of your students in many formal and informal literacy contexts, understand what your children already know about concepts of print and letter sound knowledge.

b. Explicitly teach concepts such as rhyme, on-set rime, segmenting, blending.

a. Administer the KSP to understand what students know on the journey to becoming successful readers. The KSP helps provide information that builds the strong literacy foundations (phonemic awareness, rhyme, concepts of print and oral language) that students need to become joyful, engaged readers. Not all children enter Kindergarten with the same literacy experience. This assessment is purposefully done in January to identify students who have not picked up skills despite being in a rich literacy environment and being taught explicitly for several months

February to June

a. Plan small group interventions for students who are in need of addition time and focused support on these essential skills. "Extra” learning during small group or individual instruction should be done through playful teacher directed activities.

b. Collect on-going formative assessment in many different literacy contexts c. Continue to explicitly teach literacy skills to all students.

a. For those students who showed a vulnerability in an area of the KSP retest that area only. You may already know by this time that your student has mastered the targeted skill based on information gathered as you have worked with that child. In this case, you do not need to follow up with the KSP.

b. Share gathered information on students with School Based Team, Administration, Reading Recovery Teachers and Grade One Teachers.

June

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